LAND LAWS OF THE COLONY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5862, 3 May 1897, Page 4

LAND LAWS OF THE COLONY.

The following is the report of the committee appointed by the Progressive Liberal -Association to inquire into the land laws of the colony : — ' 1. Land Law Eeform. — Tour committee made ; iis'qnirie9 into the merits, of a proposed Fair Sent -Bill, and are of opinion that such a measure would have very little practical value in". securing to the State the unearned increment. It would undoubtedly give facilities for reducing rents, tut your committee considers that there ;; •would Ma very great 'difficulty, under such a measure, in raising them, even if values should have very materially advanced. Your committee is strongly of opinion that the only equitable form of tenure, from the point of view of both the lessor and the lepsee,.is the perpetual lease, subject to periodical revaluation. Under this the whole community or th c State retains what is theirs ■"by- right --the—unearned increment. The monopoly .in . land -with -all -ifcsr-aitenclrtn-fc evils would be prevented, while the community would be enriched by the increment; which is made or earned by it, thereby reducing taxation and j>roviding monoy for all kinds of national undertakings. On the other hand, the occupier would be protected from the evils of private 'landlordism, and from excessive rents and fictitious land values. The importance of this reform can hardly be overrated, and your committee recommends that steps should be talren by the Association to educate the electoi'3 on this matter, also that the members of Par- , liainent should be approached, in order to secure their support in passing a measure embodying this principle, and that it should bo brought before the Government. (2) Your committee recommends also that the Association should take every opportunity of emphasising the principle that there should be no more sale of Crown lands, and would draw attention to the glaring anomaly and inconsistency in the action of the Government, in that they. have re-sold land that has been acquired for settlement. This practice your committee thinks is most reprehensible. Large amounts of p\ablie money are paid to the owners of blocks of land in order that there should bo greater facilities given for closer settlement, thus providing a natural and proper outlet for our population, and helping to check the evil of landlordism— a policy which nmst result in the greatest benefit to the colony. But this 2iolicy is marred when the land is again sold, as it means that later on it niu3t be again repurchased as need requires, and the State will thus again have to"pay- an unearned' increment which might have been saved. (3) Allotments for Workmen's Homes. — ■ Some oftheregulations which arc to govern ' these your committee thinks unjust and unreasonable. One is that ji person shall. not be allowed to hold an allotment if ho be the tenant under a .lease of any land '■'"■whereof not ..less^ than two years -are tinexpired, or if he be the owner of town or suburban land over one-eighth of an- acre, so that a person "holding a quarter "of an acre of land, say at New Brighton, would not. .be able to hold a workman's allotment. Another objectionable regulation provides that an applicant for one of these allotments shall not be eligible if he possesses real and personal property over the value of .£l5O. This condition is unfair, as it would exclude many -who, perhaps, might po3sess over the amount in household effects and tools, and some little means to build a house and buy a cow or two. \ our Committee thinks this limit might be raised to .£250. In further reference to this regulation your committeo considers that, generally speaking, there appears to be more favour shown to the man who is in a position to take up larger blocks than to the person with small means ; and we are of opinion that this policy should be reversed, and that every encouragement and facility should be given to. the likely person with very small means to fasten himself to the soil, as those in a better position financially can far better take care of themselves. The attention of your committee has been called to the fact that already spmo of the holders of these allotments are selling their holdings and obtaining an amount, as it were, for the goodwill, -which practice is calculated to defeat the objects of tho scheme. Your committee, therefore, advise 3 that lessees under every form of tenure, in the event of their wishing to dispose of their holdings, sliall surrender them to tho Land Board. Another objectionable regulation refers to the forfeiture of a lease, and provides that the Land Board shall have power to forfeit a lease without giving any notice to the lessee, if ho fails to comply with the conditions with respect to payment of rent or stubbing gorse, &c. Your committee is of opinion that, some; notice should be given tho lessee in all cases before the Board has power to cancel a. lease. This report is necessarily condensed, and only touches briefly on- some of the moro important features of the land cjuestion. If it is, however, "your wish that this subcommittee should stand, there are other points of moment that might well furnish matter for 'a report later on; meanwhile, the matters above touched upon are, we think, of vital interest, and should be dealt with without delay.